1. Field of the Invention.
The present invention relates to a separator for fluids and solids, and more particularly, to a separator that does not use moving parts.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many designs for treating gases have been designed in the past for the purpose of separating a particular gas from solids or liquids suspended in a physical mixture. The prior art devices use moving parts to avail themselves of the effect of centrifugal forces. Nor are the prior art devices suitable to be used in a continuous system. None of these designs have achieved the degree of success realized in the present invention with a relatively simple structure that is inexpensive to construct and maintain.
Applicant believes that the closest reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 2,015,076 issued to Lavigne for a centrifugal separator. However, it differs from the present invention because Lavigne patented invention does not include through openings cooperatively disposed at an angle to facilitate the exit of the solids by defining an entrance adjacent to the outermost wall portion of the conduit member.
Applicant believes that another of the closest references correspond to U.S. Pat. No. 4,278,550 issued to Watts for a fluid separator. However, it differs from the present invention because Watts patented invention does not include through openings cooperatively disposed at an angle to facilitate the exit of liquid by defining an entrance adjacent to the conduit's outermost wall portion. The present invention is characterized by having openings at acute (downstream) angle with respect to the direction of flow of the fluid inside the serpentine that facilitate the exit of solids and liquids, respectively. In Watts the openings run at an acute (upstream) angle with respect to the direction of flow of the fluid (FIG. 3). The most that the particles can do in Watts is clog the entrance to the openings. Therefore, Watts' device is inoperable to separate particles in a fluid. In the present invention, the inwardly extending portion directs the particle towards the opening.
Another of the closest prior arts know to Applicant corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 5,567,321 issued on Oct. 22, 1996 to Weber, Rohr and Suter. The centrifugal filter discloses a rotatable traveling basket including holes and a rather complicated mechanism. However, the patented centrifugal filter uses moving parts and it would not work in a continuous system. Also, it does not work for gases such as those present in exhaust systems.